Before It Froze
by anad
Summary: Elsa and Jack, and their seven years at Hogwarts. (a series of interconnected vignettes)
1. Year 1

_Disclaimer: "Frozen" (Disney), "Rise of the Guardians" (Dreamworks), and the "Harry Potter series" (JK Rowling) belong to their respective author/corporation. This is a fanfiction._

 **Before It Froze**

Elsa and Jack, and their seven years at Hogwarts.

* * *

 **Year 1: The Sorting Ceremony**

* * *

Jack had been excited when he received his Hogwarts letter.

Well, actually, he thought it had been a lame joke at first. But it was sort of unbelievable that his sister or any of his friends would write a letter using parchment and quill. And even if they had somehow learned to do that without him noticing, how would they have trained an owl to deliver the message right into his hands?

But whatever. He was at Hogwarts now. He had successfully boarded the train, and had even made a friend. (Even if Aster was a weird _Australian_.) (To which Aster replied that Jack was a weird _American_.)

They had ridden on those small boats across the lake. Then they had been brought into a huge hall where the ceiling was enchanted to look like the sky. And a hat had sung a song...which was kind of weird. But Jack hardly even cared about that. Because everything was _magic_. And as far as Jack was concerned, this was exactly where he belonged. So if the place where he belonged had hats that sang, then Jack would defend the rights of singing hats everywhere.

"Princess Elsa of Arendelle!"

The first name out of the throng of nervous, fidgeting first-years was _a princess_?! The magical world was even more amazing than Jack had thought!

Jack roughly shoved past Aster to get a better look. And Aster glowered at him, seeing as he and Jack had been at the front of the group.

A small blonde girl appeared from out of the very back of the group, her eyes wide and terrified, but her posture straight and her head held high. Jack had very obviously and openly stared at her as she had passed him. And his mouth might have been gaping open. (Though, this was an event that only Aster seemed to have witnessed. So, Jack would dismiss it as a complete lie even years later.)

The hat was then placed upon her delicate head, nearly swallowing up the top half of her face.

"RAVENCLAW!"

One of the center tables burst into applause. And Princess Elsa's unembellished school uniform was enchanted into her House colors as she rose and walked purposefully over to her House table. Jack was applauding too, loudly and with the occasional _whoop!_ thrown in. Aster jabbed him with his disturbingly-sharp elbow and told him he was being too loud. (Not at all noticing everyone else glaring at _the both_ of them for being too loud.)

Jack scowled at him and rubbed at his ribs. Of course Aster wouldn't have noticed that Elsa had been shaking from fear the entire time, the stupid Australian. The princess needed as much friendly support as she could get if she was so nervous.

The Sorting continued, though Jack hardly paid any attention to it in his frantic eagerness to be sorted.

"Jackson Overland Frost!"

Jack sprinted up the long aisle between the tables and shoved the hat atop his head himself.

 _"Ravenclaw. Ravenclaw. Ravenclaw."_ He chanted in his head over and over, eyes shut tight and fingers crossed.

The House colors for Ravenclaw were blue and bronze. Jack knew for a fact that he looked best in blue. (His mother had told him so.) And its House animal was an eagle. Which was super cool, and eagles were, like, super American and everything. (Aster was probably sulking that there wasn't a House whose animal was a kangaroo.) (Jack snorted uproariously at the thought.) Plus that House had a princess in it. And he wanted to be smart and clever and wise…

 _"All very good reasons for liking a House, but not very good reasons for placing you within it, I'm afraid."_

 _"You can talk?!"_ Jack exclaimed in his head. And yeah, Jack had gotten used to the idea of singing hats. But hats that could talk to you in your brain?!

The hat merely chuckled. In Jack's head!

 _"Enjoy Hogwarts, Jack Frost. It will prepare you well."_

Before Jack could ask just what Hogwarts was supposed to be preparing him for, the Sorting Hat announced,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Then it was yanked off his head, and Jack stared as the far table in red and gold exploded into riotous applause.

Jack blinked back his surprise and grinned widely at his new Housemates. Well, at least he would get along with a House as loud and enthusiastic as this one.

Still, as Jack slipped into a seat beside Aster (who laughed and punched Jack hard in the shoulder in congratulations), his eyes slipped over to the nearby Ravenclaw table. Startled, Princess Elsa nearly jerked back when their eyes met.

Jack grinned at her and gave her a big wave hello. His attention was pulled away as Elsa blushed bright red.


	2. Year 2

**Year 2: Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor Quidditch Match**

* * *

Elsa hadn't ever been that much interested in Quidditch. She would much rather spend her time studying or writing letters to her parents and sister. Quiet, productive pursuits.

Yet, on the day of the first Ravenclaw match (the first match of the year), Elsa found herself sitting in the stands amongst the crowd of blue and bronze.

Elsa nervously fiddled with her gloves. She hadn't attended the matches last year. This would be her first one, actually. And the crowded air of excitement and anticipation was wearing at her nerves. Maybe she should give up on the entire idea and head back to the castle. It wasn't as if the match had even started yet.

Before she could get much further with this thought, the crowd went wild and people were rising to their feet. Elsa automatically followed, watching the sky overhead as the two House teams appeared for the welcoming fly-by.

Elsa's heart skittered around her chest as her eyes found and followed one particular player through the air.

Jack Frost was a Gryffindor, loud and brash and confident. He was also friendly to a fault, apparently making it his life's mission to cheer everyone up and encourage them all to have fun.

He had been the one cheering for her the loudest when she had been the first student of the year to be sorted. And every time they had encountered each other since, he smiled at her as if there wasn't anything better than having seen her again.

People thought that Elsa was cold and standoffish. Or they thought she was arrogant and snobbish. In truth, Elsa was often just nervous and anxious, and good at hiding it behind how a princess should behave.

But Jack seemed to be able to see straight through her mask. He always seemed to know when her nervousness and anxiety was at its worst, bravely jumping in to divert attention away from her. He never treated her any differently from anyone else. And he always smiled at her as if he were truly happy to see her. There weren't many people who were able to do that outside of her family.

"Hey! There's your boyfriend!"

Elsa's face flamed, immediately heating up despite the abnormally cold weather.

"He's not—! Of course I'm not—! We're not even—!"

Rapunzel burst out laughing, nearly doubling over as she held her stomach and collapsed onto the hard wooden seat of the Quidditch stands.

Elsa gave up and hid into her large Ravenclaw scarf.

In Gryffindor red and gold, Rapunzel was an oddity amongst the Ravenclaw stands. Especially since her House was playing against theirs in this match. But Ravenclaws didn't care much about House rivalry, at least not as much as other Houses did. And Rapunzel spent just as much time in the Ravenclaw Tower as she did in Gryffindor Tower.

Elsa idly watched as Madam Hooch reviewed the rules and allowed the two captains to shake hands. But her eyes seemed compelled towards the smallest figure on the pitch.

The Gryffindor Seeker was the only second year on the field, _and_ playing his first official match today. Yet, Jack Frost was grinning as he said something to the Ravenclaw Seeker. And he didn't seem nervous at all as he smiled and gave a short wave to the crowd before pulling down his goggles.

"You should have seen him this morning in Gryffindor Tower!" Rapunzel exclaimed as the smaller girl practically threw herself over Elsa, while peering intently through her omnioculars.

"He was so nervous, he threatened to throw up all over Aster!" Rapunzel laughed, pointing the omnioculars every which way as the match began.

Elsa tried not to react, she really did. But she caught herself smiling before she smoothed it back into a neutral expression.

Crown Princess Rapunzel of Corona was cousin to Crown Princess Elsa of Arendelle. And though Rapunzel was a year younger and had been Sorted into a different House, had never let that affect their close relationship with one another. After a year of having no friends at all, it was in moments like these that Elsa was overwhelmed by affection for her cousin.

"Elsa!" Rapunzel suddenly grabbed Elsa's arm, still peering through the golden omnioculars. She was so small that the glasses took over her face, reminding Elsa of a gawky bug or insect of some sort.

Elsa had missed what had gotten Rapunzel so excited. And looking in bewilderment towards the chaos on the pitch, really, it didn't look that much different to her now than it had when they had started the game.

Still, the crowd was going wild either way. And it was only because Elsa had known what direction to look in that she was able to witness the gravity-defying chase the two Seekers were giving.

The two players had gone too far, almost lost in the clouds as they chased each other straight up into the sky. And the Ravenclaw Seeker (older and more experienced) wisely and abruptly pulled out of the pursuit when the broom's violent shaking indicated that it would be suicidal to keep going.

But Jack kept going.

Elsa's heart nearly leapt up her throat. And she found herself having risen to her feet along with everyone else without being consciously aware of it.

When Jack's broom finally gave in to the altitude or the impossibility of what its rider was demanding from it, it stuttered...and bucked...and then began to fall.

Elsa's eyes were fixated upon the plummet, she and Rapunzel gripping tightly to one another.

And for a moment—just one—Elsa was ready to pull off her gloves. She was calculating if the icy wind would listen to her. And whether or not she could conjure the fluffy, powdery snow fast enough to soften Jack's landing.

But she didn't have to.

Mid-fall, Jack's arm reached out and grabbed hold of the free-falling broomstick. And then he spread his limbs wide, relishing in a moment so high up in the air. He spread his arms and legs as if to capture the wind, pinwheeling downwards in a devastating spiral before suddenly dropping forward, tucking his body tight in order to descend face-first at maximum velocity.

Rapunzel squealed and Elsa gasped as Jack Frost abruptly kicked himself into an upright position, and—in a move of acrobatic confidence—flew on his broomstick again. But not sitting upon it like every other Quidditch player in existence. No, he commanded it to fly _with his arms_. Just the one and then both together, hanging casually from the stick of wood.

Then he flipped around to stand on it, gliding along wind currents as naturally as a surfer upon waves or a snowboarder upon snow. And it was only when he was back in the airspace of the Quidditch pitch again did he sit himself down and resume the game, as if everything that had just happened was merely business as usual.

The Gryffindor stands erupted into roars. Of outrage or excitement, Elsa wouldn't know. She was too busy sitting back down and focusing on getting her heart rate back to normal.

"He's a natural flyer!" Rapunzel boasted ecstatically, clapping Elsa in the back repeatedly in her excitement.

"There's a reason why he got onto the team as a second year, you know!"

Elsa nodded mutely, too stunned and too relieved to answer properly.

It was only moments later, while both Seekers were making a surveying pass around the pitch in search of the Snitch, that Jack passed by the spot in the stands where Elsa was sitting.

Rapunzel was already leaning forward, waving wildly to catch Jack's attention.

Jack paused in his flight to grin at her. A little surprised, but happy, to see his younger Housemate's enthusiastic cheering from the center of the Ravenclaw stands.

And then he looked over at Elsa, and Elsa was struck as if frozen.

But at the sight of Jack's genuine grin and happy wave hello, Elsa felt warmth curl deep within her, expanding from the center of her being towards the very tips of herself.

For the very first time, Elsa allowed herself to smile and wave back.


	3. Year 3

**Year 3: Double Transfiguration**

* * *

Jack didn't even need to glance at his Intermediate Transfiguration textbook to complete the spell. Transfiguration was his best subject.

"Lapifors!"

Jack burst out laughing when Aster's egg sprouted rabbit legs and ears, but resolutely remained egg-shaped.

Aster groaned in frustration, looking ready to throw his wand.

"Hey, at least it's furry this time!" Jack encouraged, slapping Aster on the back.

"Not funny, mate." Aster growled at him, glaring with seething hatred.

"But it is," Jack grinned, eagerly leaning forward. " _Pal_."

Aster took a swipe at Jack then, who expertly moved out of the way, laughing. Aster hated it when Jack used "Yankee slang" around him. So, of course Jack did it all of the time.

Jack's own attempt at the spell was excellent, of course. His rabbit was currently hopping along the floor at his feet. It was a North American white-tailed jackrabbit. Jack had only thought it fitting to transfigure different _jack_ rabbits each time. It really, really annoyed Aster.

Across the room, the only other student to master the spell was very studiously working on honing the skill down to fine control.

Currently, Elsa had transfigured her rabbit to stand upright. And it was wearing a waistcoat and looking down at the tiny golden pocketwatch in its fuzzy paw.

Jack would never admit it—because he was very manly and roguish—but Elsa's rabbit was so cute he would have probably squealed like a little girl if it were within his reach.

"So…" Aster grinned viciously, elbowing Jack hard in the ribs. "Whatcha looking at?"

Jack rolled his eyes at his best friend's antics.

"I think Elsa's transfigured the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland." Jack studied the spellwork, wondering if he could do the same. He was fairly confident that he could do it. It might take a few attempts considering the—

"I wasn't talking about the rabbit, idiot." Aster rolled his eyes at him like Jack was a clueless idiot, giving the Lapifors spell another attempt.

Jack blinked back at Aster, knocked out of his mental calculations for transfiguring a White Rabbit of his own.

"Then what _were_ you talking about?"

Aster just rolled his eyes at him again, _dramatically_ , while muttering 'idiot' under his breath.

Jack sighed. He would demand to know why Aster was being such a prat (British slang Jack had picked up very quickly since his best friend was _Aster_ ), but knew from experience that that would only invite Aster to look at him as if he were stupider.

Instead of inviting Aster's insult, Jack reached down and picked up his jackrabbit.

He turned it back into a teacup. And then began to wave his wand around.

"I always get the spell faster, but Elsa always does it better than me." Jack frowned down at his first attempt (while Aster looked jealously at it), before flicking his wand to start over.

"Because she's smarter than you." Aster scoffed. That much should be obvious.

Jack glared at him.

Aster rolled his eyes.

"Also because she tries harder than you do." Aster explained, holding up his hand when Jack moved to protest.

"Not at _learning_ the spell, dummy. _Mastering_ it."

Reluctantly, Jack nodded in agreement.

It was true that Jack always did the minimum of what was asked. If what got him high marks was turning an object into a rabbit, then he turned his teacup into a jackrabbit. He never even thought about trying to give his rabbit a pocketwatch. But the professors gave extra points for creativity.

The two worked in silence for a few moments at their spell attempts. Jack was coming along in his advanced form faster than Aster was, much to Aster's continued frustration.

"You and Elsa have a lot in common, you know." Aster attempted conversation, eying his best friend warily. "Her worst subject is Herbology too."

Jack nearly dropped his wand.

"No way!" He exclaimed.

"Oh, her theory is perfect." Aster confirmed. _Obviously_. "But she's just as terrible as you are in the practicals. At first, at least."

Jack's mind boggled. He didn't believe it. He _wouldn't_ believe it.

Princess Elsa of Arendelle was perfect. She got top marks in all of her subjects. She was always polite and courteous. She never offended anyone. Or failed to read a situation closely enough. Or showed up wearing shoes from _two different pairs_ like Jack sometimes did. (He just didn't like shoes, alright!)

"How do _you_ know this?" Jack asked suspiciously, watching Aster extra carefully for deception.

Aster irritably pushed Jack out from his personal space, giving him a hard glare.

" _I_ happen to not be hopeless in Herbology...like _someone,_ " Aster made sure to look at Jack pointedly, reminding his friend that just because he wasn't the best at Transfiguration didn't mean he was terrible at all subjects. "So Professor Sprout asks me to tutor sometimes."

Jack frowned, but decided that this was plausible. Aster had tried to tutor Jack many times. With Aster's help, Jack managed a respectable grade in Herbology. WIth Jack's help, Aster managed a respectable grade in Transfiguration.

"Wait!" Jack suddenly realized before hissing, "You tutored _Elsa_?"

Aster rolled his eyes, _again_. And looked at Jack as if he were a complete idiot, _again_.

"No, I was tutoring someone else and Elsa just happened to be in the greenhouses when we went." Aster replied, indignant. "Her cousin, Rapunzel, was with her."

Jack nodded. Yes, this made much more sense. Nevermind that Rapunzel was younger than them. Rapunzel had a gift for flowers that bordered on impossible.

And Jack had always thought Elsa was so different from him, but they actually shared a lot of similarities.

"Lapifors." Jack waved his wand, watching as the teacup was transformed into his desired result.

A baffled-looking hare, wearing a mismatched ensemble that could have been a respectable suit and tie, appeared standing atop Jack's desk.

Jack grinned with triumph, flicking his wrist to conjure a tiny table with a tiny white tablecloth. Another flick conjured an entire tiny tea set, complete with tiny colorful cakes and dainty sandwiches.

"What is _that_?" Aster asked, half offended, half awed.

"The March Hare, of course." Jack swept his arms out grandly, proud of his creation.

Jack's March Hare flopped down and began to serve himself tea, wildly and in jerky movements. It stared up at Jack and Aster in outright paranoia the entire time, yet somehow managed not to spill a single drop.

Aster was grudgingly impressed, returning to his own practice with a bit more determination.

Grinning at his own creation, Jack looked across the room and caught Elsa staring at him in astonishment.

He gave her a goofy little bow as thanks for the inspiration. Then Jack winked at her.

Elsa's gloved hand pressed against her lips, muffling her surprised giggle.

Jack was grinning madly the rest of the day.


	4. Year 4

**Year 4: Guardian at Hogwarts**

* * *

Winter had settled upon the land in earnest. Blanketing the grounds in snow, leaving ice glittering in the weak winter sunlight, freezing over parts of the Black Lake (never enough to go ice skating, much to the students' disappointment). Snow-wizards were built and snowball fights were had. And when it was too cold to have fun, students and staff alike went into hiding inside the warmth of the castle.

Well, not all of the students. The cold had never bothered Elsa. She almost preferred Hogwarts in winter, when there was no one roaming the grounds and she only had to disappear out the doors to get some peace and quiet. She would spend hours each day in the snow, taking long walks with a book or finding some secluded spot to study.

Frost collected on her textbook pages, but Elsa only had to brush that away. Her inkwell would freeze sometimes, but Elsa had perfected use of the Warming Charm upon inkwells by now. And if her clothing never got ruined despite an entire day out in the snow, no one ever seemed to notice. After all, only one other person was aware of Elsa's frequent sojourns into the cold and snow.

Elsa walked into the Great Hall after such a day out, not even attempting to brush stray snowflakes from her cloak (since they never stuck where she didn't want them to). No one else was in the Entrance Hall, of course. It was one of the coldest rooms in the castle during the winter, so everyone always just skirted past it.

Elsa was unnoticed as she slipped back into the castle proper. And she joined the wave of students all heading towards dinner, lost in the crowd.

The Great Hall was flooded in warm golden light, inviting the students to gather and stay. Elsa glanced up at the enchanted ceiling as she entered, watching as the sparse trails of misty clouds swept across the bright-lit sky of stars and a full moon.

Taking a seat at the Ravenclaw table, she nodded to a few of the most studious Ravenclaws, the ones with books laid out in front of them even during meals. They simply nodded back, none of them feeling the need to exchange needless pleasantries with one another.

Then Rapunzel sprang up out of nowhere and immediately latched onto Elsa's arm, there to break up the quiet monotony.

"Elsa!" Rapunzel whined, hanging off Elsa's arm as she swung herself in a dramatic arc. "Where have you been? I've been so bored!"

By now, the sight of a Gryffindor at the Ravenclaw table was business as usual. The only ones who even looked curiously at the sight anymore were the first years, and even they had grown bored of that by the time winter had set in.

"So, what have you been doing today?" Rapunzel asked, cheeks stuffed full with mashed potatoes as she held a giant turkey leg in hand.

Elsa did not laugh, though her merriment shone through in her eyes.

Rapunzel didn't mind. She just grinned and took a giant bite of her turkey leg.

"I wrote some letters home," replied Elsa, glancing over at the Gryffindor table. "And studied."

Rapunzel rolled her eyes. Did Elsa ever do anything else?

"Where's Jack?" Elsa asked, looking back at Rapunzel.

If it were anyone else but Rapunzel, Elsa wouldn't have had the courage to ask. But Elsa had never looked up from the Ravenclaw table and not seen Jack Frost sitting at the neighboring one. And she had never noticed that something so everyday had become so important to her, until it was missing.

The younger girl immediately stood up to survey the Gryffindor table, leaning forward with her hand shaded over her eyes like a ship captain. It was unlike Jack to miss dinner. It was unlike any boy to miss dinner, actually.

"Huh." Rapunzel said, carefully sitting down again. "I don't think he's here. That's weird."

Elsa frowned, but could say nothing further. If Rapunzel—who was Jack's Housemate and lived in the same tower—didn't know, there was no one else to ask.

"Aster's there." Rapunzel noted with a frown. "He looks worried."

Elsa nodded, looking unseeing down at her plate. Jack's best friend had been searching the Great Hall and turning frequently to ask his Housemates something when Elsa had looked.

Rapunzel was just about to announce that she was going to head back to her House table and ask Aster directly, when the doors to the Great Hall were thrown wide open.

A sharp, freezing wind slammed through the Great Hall. So strong that the wind was heard as a long, moaning scream. Rapunzel was nearly blown off her feet, immediately grasping hold of Elsa, who had been the closest to her. Instinctively, she cowered into Elsa's heavy winter cloak against the harsh winter chill. Rapunzel, and many of the other students, had only been wearing their school uniforms within the castle.

Meanwhile, Elsa's eyes were wide and staring at the lone figure of Jack Frost standing at the doors of the Great Hall. The equally large doors of the Entrance Hall had been thrown open beyond him, straight into the dark foreboding of an empty winter's night.

Jack looked back at the entirety of the Great Hall, but wasn't seeing any of them. His eyes were clouded and dazed, as if under a spell. And he looked as if he had crashed through the entire Forbidden Forest.

He stood there in his Quidditch leathers and Gryffindor colors. But the paddings and his uniform were ripped and shredded. One entire sleeve was cut cleanly up the arm, held by the tattered guard still strapped along his forearm. And the long rip revealed the long gash bleeding down Jack's arm and dripping onto the floor.

Jack's hair was in disarray, even more windswept than usual. And there was a crisscrossing web of cuts and bruises across his face. He must have been outside, practicing with the Snitch even in the cold. But his broom was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, there was a long staff of ancient gnarled wood in his hands. It looked as if it had been broken directly off a tree, curving at the end into a natural shepherd's crook.

But this wasn't a normal branch or staff. Glittering all along twisted, wisened wood was the flash of magic. Frost magic.

Elsa leapt up to her feet as the tingle of frost magic glimmered along her senses. It felt like a welcomed chill on a hot summer day, the invigorating bite of the cold winter air in the morning.

Before anyone could even react to the sight of an injured Jack Frost, a burst of frost magic exploded from the staff. Elsa's eyes widened as intricate, delicate ice designs sprang to life along all the surfaces of the Great Hall. It glittered along walls and tables and plates and knives, flashing and beautiful, disappearing almost as quickly as they appeared.

Her gloved hand reached out as the wave of frost magic flowed over her part of the table. Her own magic demanding to know more of such similar magic.

An undeniable voice, unlike the voice of anyone of this world, instantly halted Elsa's fleeting movements.

It was a voice she knew all too well. The same voice that had ruined her life.

 _"...the Rise of the Guardians, protectors of the dreams of children from the Nightmare King. They shall bring joy to the world…"_

Across the hall, Aster paled and looked up at his best friend in shock.

 _"...Herald the arrival of Father Frost, Guardian of Fun, Spirit of Winter."_

And then the voice was gone, swept away in the rush of freezing wind as it flew out from the Great Hall. It slammed the heavy outer doors of the Entrance Hall closed behind it, as if to make clear that this part of the prophecy had been said.

A beat. A second of total silence.

And then total chaos.


	5. Year 5

**Year 5: Ordinary Wizarding Levels**

* * *

Jack was sure that the O.W.L.s were going to kill him.

Though, that might be a welcomed alternative to dying by Nightmare King.

The revealing of his part of the Faerie Prophecy—that he was one of The Guardians, that he wasn't just Jack Frost but had once been Father Frost, Old Man Winter, _Jokul Frosti_ —had been...dramatic.

Really, Jack wished Fourth Year had never happened at all. Then he wouldn't be saddled with this _destiny_ and tied to a _prophecy_. And he could just be Jack Frost, fifth year Hogwarts student of Gryffindor House.

But nope, that would never be his life ever again. Thanks a lot, Faerie Prophecy.

No one had ever heard the entire Faerie Prophecy. And it revealed itself in parts, each time only the parts pertaining to the person it was being revealed about. But the gist of the prophecy was pretty clear: the return of those lost in legend, people who were considered no more than fairytales now.

If Jack had to be the second coming of a fairytale character, he kind of wished he wasn't supposed to be an _old man_.

Not that Aster had it any better. (The Easter Bunny! Jack had laughed until he had started crying...for the both of them.)

At least he and Aster would be in this together. It was amazing that the both of them were Guardians. But that would explain why they had both been invited to Hogwarts, and why they were weirdly best friends even though they shouldn't have gotten along at all.

Crazily, there was a third Guardian at Hogwarts with them. Katherine Shala, fourth-year Hufflepuff, the return of Mother Goose, and the Guardian of Storytelling. She was a pretty girl with gray eyes, curly auburn hair, and a heart-shaped face. Apparently, in another life, she and Jack had been best friends.

Truthfully, Jack had never even noticed Katherine before. And he had felt mean about that, since Katherine seemed to know all about him. But then again, Katherine was a nice, quiet Hufflepuff. Jack's best friend in this incarnation was Aster. And he was usually so caught up with the Gryffindors, Jack just never took notice of members of other Houses unless they made themselves noticeable.

Well, he had been trying to make up to her about that. He and Katherine were good friends now. Since the revealing of his part of the prophecy, he and Aster and Katherine were almost always together. And Jack had met the rest of the known Guardians on their next school break. (Which had been Easter holidays, much to Jack's continued laughter.)

And now, Jack constantly wondered if there were others at their school affected by the Faerie Prophecy. Unless the reveal was...rather public, anyone could be anyone. Because the prophecy reveal could happen in different ways. Some people's prophecies were heard at birth. Some people heard theirs only when their powers manifested. For Jack, he had found his magical staff and had then been compelled towards the nearest available people (which just happened to be a hall full of _everyone_ because he had _the worst_ luck) for the prophecy to be heard.

A sudden cloud of red, pink, and silver glitter had Jack coughing uncontrollably. Because, well, this one had hit him in the face.

Jack glared at the little cupid cherub naked baby illusion as it winked out of existence. Left behind the now disappeared cloud of magical glitter, was a long card in the shape of an arrow. This one was a metallic pink.

Jack hurriedly grabbed it and stuffed it into his bag (to join all of the others) in his horrible embarrassment.

A group of giggling girls from a nearby table had Jack blushing even more as he grabbed all of his stuff and retreated further into the library. How was he supposed to study when it was Valentine's Day and everyone had gone crazy with this year's school-approved Valentine's charm?!

He was used to getting a fair amount of valentines, but this year was just ridiculous. Jack wondered if all of these girls had a strange fixation on the fact that he was Old Man Winter. Which was just creepy. EUGH! Just...No.

To his continued luck, there weren't any tables open anywhere. Jack was about to give up and head back to the Gryffindor Common Room, when he spotted a nearly-empty table tucked between two far-off shelves of books.

Grinning when he recognized the sole person sitting there, Jack hurried towards it.

"Hi, Elsa." Jack whispered loudly, in an attempt not to startle her.

Elsa abruptly dropped her book, the loud thump echoing throughout the entire library.

Jack winced apologetically. He hadn't succeeded in not startling her after all.

"Jack?" Elsa exclaimed, wide-eyed, upon turning around and seeing him.

Jack nervously ran a late hand through his hair and looked down at his shoes.

They didn't match. Though they were at least the same color this time.

"Err...hey." Jack hastily turned his best smile on her, desperate to distract her. "Mind if I join you?"

Before Elsa could notice his shoes, Jack slipped into the opposite seat. He had seen that she had been about to nod yes anyway.

Jack waved his staff in the air unnecessarily, setting it atop the table. The magical staff attracted everyone's attention these days, and Jack wasn't above using it as a distraction when he desperately needed it. (Like now, for example.) But he had been so busy trying to make sure that Elsa's attention was kept away from his feet, that he accidentally knocked over his bag.

"Sorry!" He whisper-shouted, blushing as the cascade of valentines went everywhere. (Halfway through the day, he had started to shrink them so they would all fit.)

Jack shoved all of the little arrows and hearts down to the bottom of his bag. Then he grabbed the first textbook his hand touched and hid his face behind it.

When he peeked over the top of his book, Elsa was still staring at him.

Jack blushed and nervously cleared his throat.

"So, uh, Happy Valentine's Day, Elsa." He stammered, heart beating fast, palms sweating.

Elsa blinked, looking somewhat lost before she hurriedly whispered,

"Happy Valentine's Day, Jack."

Jack smiled at her. Even if she was only being nice because he had said it first, he liked it.

A flattering pink blush spread across Elsa's light complexion. She hurried looked down at the book she had been reading.

They sat together silently, the both of them trying to concentrate on their work. Jack was still on the random (upside-down) page he had flipped to when he had opened...whatever book this was. Elsa had tried to read the same sentence ten times already.

"So, did you get any valentines today?" Jack asked, whispering to her across the table.

Elsa's eyes darted up, over at his bag, and then back at him.

Jack wasn't sure why he felt so hyper-aware and self-conscious then.

"Oh, yes." Elsa answered with a nod. "Yes, I have."

Jack tried clearing his throat again. It suddenly felt very tight.

"Oh?" He tried to sound nonchalant. The effect was kind of ruined since his voice came out way too high to be normal.

Elsa reached into her bag, which had been sitting in the empty chair beside her, and pulled something out from the front pocket.

"Rapunzel sent me one." Elsa told him, setting a heart card onto the table.

It was a riot of brightly-colored wildflowers, with 'I Love You, Elsa!' scrawled across it in Rapunzel's bubbly handwriting.

A sudden bubble of laughter burst from Jack's throat. He wasn't sure why he was so relieved.

"My parents also sent me chocolates." Elsa smiled warmly at the memory. It had come during the morning owl deliveries. A simple white box tied with a ribbon, filled with the handmade chocolates that the Palace Head Chef only made for Valentine's Day.

"And my younger sister, Anna, made me a card." Elsa added, moving aside Rapunzel's riotous valentine to reveal one under it.

Jack studied the red heart. It was the kind you cut yourself out of red paper. And it was very obviously lopsided, even though it was so small.

"Anna made it from the largest sheet of red paper she could find. But it never came out evenly, so she kept trying." Elsa told him, before wondering if maybe she shouldn't have told him that. Anna wouldn't mind, but Elsa was never sure how much she should say to people, or whether or not they even wanted to hear it.

"Oh." Jack laughed with delight, looking up at Elsa with his too-blue eyes. "She tried very hard."

Elsa flushed, and didn't even know why she was blushing.

"My little sister's too old to give me Valentine cards anymore." Jack sighed in mock depression. "She's officially _a teenager_ now."

Elsa covered her mouth before the laugh escaped, but Jack grinned at her knowingly.

"My mom would send me something, I guess." Jack added thoughtfully, since it had never occurred to him that parents might send their children a valentine.

He shrugged. "We're not big on holidays at my house."

Elsa nodded.

"My parents…" Elsa started cautiously, pausing to choose her words carefully.

"We celebrate every holiday." Elsa stated truthfully.

It took a second before Jack realized why exactly she had phrased it that way.

"Oh, because you're royalty!"

Elsa looked flustered and embarrassed, but nodded firmly in confirmation.

"Not that I mean anything by that!" Jack held his hands up, waving wildly in a panic. "It's, uh, really great that you're...royalty and stuff. You're, err, really cool, Elsa."

Jack blushed bright red at his totally lame response. What was that? Jack mentally punched himself in his own face for being such a loser.

But at the sight of Elsa's soft smile, Jack forgot everything he had been thinking. Because...

 _Elsa was really pretty._

"Jack?"

Jack automatically turned in the direction of the voice, surprised to see Katherine standing there. He hadn't even noticed her arrive.

"Hey, Katherine." Jack greeted her with a grin. "What's up?"

Katherine's eyes slid from Jack to Elsa.

"Aren't we going to Hogsmeade together?" She turned back to him.

Jack frowned.

"Weren't we meeting in the afternoon?" He asked, confused.

Katherine placed her hands at her hips and gave him a too-adorable pout.

"It _is_ the afternoon. And we have a date."

Behind him, Elsa flinched and suddenly took a great amount of interest in the sentence she had been reading.

Jack, oblivious to everything, grinned teasingly at his friend.

"It's O.W.L. year, you know. Even I have to study sometimes." He chuckled, though obediently shoved everything back into his bag.

In truth, Jack and Katherine were just meeting up with Aster for Hogsmeade Weekend. They hadn't really made a date. They were _just friends_. He didn't feel that way about Katherine. But Jack, in typical Jack fashion, had merely thought it all a joke said in good fun.

"To Madam Puddifoot's we go, milady." Jack offered his arm with a snooty face.

Katherine giggled and linked her arm through his.

"Sorry, Elsa." Jack turned back to the Ravenclaw at the table apologetically. "I have to go. But you'd study better without me here anyway. Aster says I distract everyone."

"Oh." Elsa stared down at her book. If someone had asked her if she was looking at words or pictures right now, she wouldn't have been able to say. "Right."

Jack stopped completely.

"Err...right." He frowned, unsure of what he should do. He wasn't even sure what had gone wrong, only that something had.

"Are you going? To Hogsmeade, I mean. It's Hogsmeade Weekend." Jack asked Elsa.

Maybe Elsa was just bummed that she didn't have anyone to go to the village with. If that was the case, Jack would invite her to come with them. The more the merrier, right?

Elsa forced a pleasant smile on her face, which did not at all reach her eyes.

"It's O.W.L.s year," She reminded him softly. "I have to study."

Jack frowned. Surely, Elsa of all people could spare an afternoon away from O.W.L. studying. And if she couldn't, then it wasn't even close to a good idea for Jack to do so.

"Jack." Katherine reminded him of her presence, tugging at his arm.

"It's fine." Elsa assured him quickly. "Have fun."

Jack hesitated, but he didn't have any excuse to stay without totally contradicting himself.

In the end, he gave into Katherine's impatient tugging and let himself be dragged away.

"See you, Elsa." Jack called behind him, ignoring Madam Pince's scary glare. At this point, he was willing to risk even the wrath of the Hogwarts librarian. He was sure that it would be worth it even if he were screamed at or given a detention or something.

Elsa watched as Jack left.

She looked at his familiar windswept hair and his mismatched shoes and the casual way he threw his staff over his shoulder.

And felt as if there was a block of ice forming at the pit of her stomach.

"Goodbye, Jack." Elsa whispered.


	6. Year 6

**Year 6: The Snow Queen**

* * *

There were days when Elsa's magic flared out of her control. Like tonight, when Elsa had looked up from late-night studying to see a flurry twirling around her dorm room.

Thankfully, no one had been around to witness a winterspell in the middle of spring. And Elsa had escaped the castle and slipped into the Forbidden Forest without any trouble.

Now, there was only the problem of her snow powers to deal with.

Deep within the Forbidden Forest, Elsa pulled off her ever-present gloves and shoved them into her pocket. All the way out here, at this time of night, no one was around to see her slip in royal decorum.

And so far from the castle, it was _safe_ to use her power.

The excited spark was her first sign that her attempt at calming her magic was working. And Elsa smiled as she saw the silvery-blue flash of magic jump from one hand and then the other, bursting in the air.

Raising her hands like a conductor to an orchestra, Elsa moved on to something even more impressive. The icy designs flew from her hands and spiraled upwards, impacting high above and exploding in a cloud of magical snowflakes.

With a flick of her wrist, these snowflakes were blown upwards in a rush of icy wind. Flying across the bright night sky, Elsa watched as the snow rushed quickly out of sight and into the unending darkness.

Heart elated, Elsa began to conjure a miniature snowstorm.

Under the pearly moonlight, Elsa focused and made sure that her concentrated winter storm remained exactly where she wanted it. In the past, her control had been wild and almost nonexistent. But by now, when all of her focus was on it, she knew that her magic would only do what she wanted and stay within the clearing.

Climbing up to the very top of the slope, her footsteps light and sure, Elsa turned towards her tiny kingdom.

It was pure and white and glimmering under the bright, full moon. The once smooth slope of sparse grass was covered in deep snow, picturesque and waiting. And the nearby trees were dressed in snow and frost, glinting like starlight.

Taking a deep breath of cold-chilled air, Elsa felt her magic begin to settle. It no longer felt like a hive of angry bees. Now, it was snowflakes caught in a dancing breeze.

Settling down for a night outside, Elsa began to make snow creatures out of the snow and ice. Whatever form to come to mind appeared upon that snowy slope, springing into existence just for tonight.

A troop of upright soldiers began marching along the perimeter of the snowdrift. Elsa built them a miniature Hogwarts of ice to march into and out from, across a tiny drawbridge.

One of the snowmen she and Anna used to build when they were younger.

A family of snowbunnies. A stag and a deer. A prowling wolf.

And in a rush of inspiration and fine control, Elsa carefully crafted a tiny ice replica of Arendelle at the very center of her snow kingdom. Everything from the familiar roofs and buildings of the town, to the neatly lined streets, to the palace where she had grown up. She filled the tiny Arendelle with people, and then the courtyard of the tiny castle with her family.

She had just finished an excitable Ice Anna jumping up and down beside the little icy figures of the King and Queen, lost in her own whimsical amusement, when someone very deliberately cleared their throat.

Elsa looked up at the floating figure of Jack Frost.

Elsa immediately leapt up from her crouched position at the crest of the hill, smoothing down her uniform skirt and trying to hide her panic behind a smooth mask.

From the frown and disbelieving arch of Jack's brows, she wasn't fooling anyone.

Without a word, Jack glided down to the ground, landing lightly and hardly even disturbing the swirling snowflakes under his bare feet.

"So...uh…"

Jack ducked his head uncertainly now that he was on the ground, arms flung over the magical staff slung across his shoulders.

"This…" Jack looked around, puzzled. "...happened?"

If Elsa weren't about to break down into crazed, nervous laughter, she would have found Jack's utter confusion enduringly adorable.

"Yes." Elsa answered, wringing her hands together as she stared down at miniature Arendelle.

Ice Anna had taken to leaping around the courtyard, waving her arms around to catch their attention. Of course, Anna almost slipped while doing this, arms pinwheeling before inexplicably catching herself and returning to solid ground with a ballerina's grace.

Despite the severity of the situation, Elsa smiled as Anna beamed up at her, as if asking if Elsa had seen her success at not falling.

"Is that your family?"

Elsa glanced over at where Jack was studying the miniature palace, floating in the air again, lying along his staff as he looked down at a waving Anna.

Elsa nodded even though Jack couldn't see her, watching Jack's face even more anxiously than before.

"I mean," Elsa said aloud, coughing lightly. "Yes. It is."

Ice Anna kept waving at Jack, intermittently pointing to herself and then pointing enthusiastically to Elsa.

Jack grinned down at her, and then gave a shy little wave to the Royal Couple as they waited nearby. Her father was escorting her mother properly by the arm, glancing up at Jack sternly as her mother smiled encouragingly at the same boy.

"This is beautiful." Jack waved to gesture over Elsa's creation, impressed by Elsa's control over her magic. He couldn't do something so delicate.

He turned to grin at Elsa, eyes twinkling in the sparkling light.

But his smile fell when he noticed Elsa's gutted expression.

"Elsa!" Jack leapt back onto his feet. "What's wrong?"

Jack reached forward, but stopped before he had gotten closer than two steps.

Because Elsa had flinched and backed away from him _as if afraid_.

And though Jack wanted nothing more than to rush forward and...something after that...he kept himself very still and tried to look as nonthreatening as possible.

"Elsa?" He whispered hesitantly, as quietly as he was able.

Elsa just continued to stare at him, wide-eyed, panicked, hands clenched tightly to her chest. It hurt more than Jack could say.

And then, Jack realized why.

"You are too. Aren't you?" Jack asked her, the realization hitting him square in the chest. The implications of Elsa's abilities finally connecting in his head.

There was no way to do all of this advanced transfiguration as a Hogwarts student, no matter how talented. Elsa didn't even have her wand.

Also, now that Jack was paying attention, he could sense it. He could feel the spark and tingle of snow and frost magic, the invigorating chill of winterspells. Perhaps he wouldn't have, if he wasn't who he was. But he had known enough of his powers by now to recognize the similarity in Elsa's.

"You're part of the Faerie Prophecy too."

They stood there silent for a small eternity, standing atop a snowbank above a tiny snow kingdom. Hating the gnawing gap between them, but both too afraid to close the distance. Elsa, out of fear of herself. Jack, afraid of frightening Elsa even more than he already had.

It was said so quietly that Jack almost lost the words. But he was staring right at Elsa then, and he could see her lips moving. If he instinctively used the wind to blow those words in his direction, he had to have done it in order to hear her.

"I don't want to be."

Elsa turned away from him. For her, there was no pride in this. No dignity or respect or decorum of any worth to save.

"Who are you?" Jack asked, an icy chill clawing into his chest.

Because he already knew.

Elsa held her hands against her temples, her fingers pressing into her skin as she closed her eyes and hoped this was all just a passing nightmare.

She wasn't standing in the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night. She hadn't been caught using her powers. Jack wasn't standing there, _knowing_ who she was.

But the sudden fall of footsteps crunching loudly into the snow made this real. Jack had jerked away from her as if physically hit. And this was a nightmare, even if she were wide awake.

"The Snow Queen."

The Faerie Prophecy was all well and good if you were Good. It wasn't when you were destined to be the Snow Queen. The evil queen who had kidnapped children. Whose kisses could numb the cold, force others to forget, and...kill.

"Y-You're—" Jack stammered, stumbling over the words. "You're not Evil, Elsa."

Elsa's eyes whipped upwards, so quickly that it was as if he had reached out and jerked her up to look at him.

" _I'm not_." She told him. "I'm not, Jack."

She was pleading, _begging_ him to believe her.

"I know." He responded, nodding. Sounding more sure of it than he actually was.

Because him freaking out right now wouldn't have helped either of them.

Jack stared at Elsa. Looked at her closely and without restraint. Elsa didn't _look_ evil. She couldn't _be_ evil. She was just a student. A Ravenclaw. Still the same small girl he had cheered so hard and so loudly for when she was Sorted. The same girl he smiled and winked at. The same girl he thought about too much, who he acted even more idiotically than usual around, whose opinion of him he cared about more than nearly everyone else's.

"If you say so, Elsa," Jack told her, his faith in her unwavering in at least this. "Then it must be true."

Shock flashed across Elsa's expression, before a cold, bitter laugh escaped her.

"I…" Elsa laughed, fingers pressed along her forehead in an attempt to calm her tumultuous emotions. "I wish it were as easy as that."

"Why not?" Jack demanded.

His hands were gripping so hard at his staff that a fine crack appeared along the wood.

But he hardly even noticed. Not when Elsa looked so very…

Defeated.

"It's my destiny." Elsa explained, resigned to her fate. "Just as yours is to be a Guardian, this is mine."

Jack frowned, not liking this at all.

"I don't believe it." He told her. "You don't want to be evil, Elsa. And even destiny can't change that."

"It's not the same." Elsa tried.

"But it can be!" Jack shouted, righteous and brave and determined. "The prophecy shouldn't get to decide. It shouldn't have ever had all of this power over us. We should be exactly who we want to be!"

Elsa faltered, wondering just what she was even arguing about anymore. She suddenly felt drained of all energy and emotion. Empty.

Sinking to the ground and just sitting there, Elsa held her arms over her head and pretended that this would be enough to keep it all away.

It was a destiny Elsa had fought against her entire life. Since the moment her powers had manifested and her part of the prophecy was heard. Sometimes, Elsa fought so hard that she was afraid that she wasn't even a real person. That all she was was the shell of a being forcing herself to be entirely unlike herself. And yet, at the same time, she was terrified that she was walking the path of her fairytale counterpart without her even being aware of it.

Weighed down by destiny. Shackled to prophecy. Elsa had always felt this. And of course, Elsa didn't want to be Evil. But by now, she was no longer even sure if she wanted to be Good.

She just wanted to be...Elsa. Just Elsa.

Vaguely, she was aware of Jack crossing the distance, sitting in the snow right beside her. He kept an appropriate distance from her, but still placed himself firmly within arm's reach.

"I'm not evil." Elsa said aloud. Whether for Jack's benefit, or her own, she wasn't sure.

"I'm not a monster."

Beside her, Jack nodded with great seriousness.

Jack had never considered what the prophecy would mean to the villains of the stories. He had been so wrapped up in _his_ destiny, in _his_ role, in _his_ story that he hadn't even given a single thought to just what and how he would feel if he were placed on the other side.

He had just accepted that he was a Guardian (albeit grudgingly and with great difficulty). That he was the hero and Good. That he would defeat Evil.

But what if his villain was just a kid like him and Elsa? What if his villain didn't want to be Evil? If the story changed...

Then it should change it for the better.

"We choose who we become, Elsa."

Elsa didn't move, didn't indicate that she had even heard him.

But Jack was sure that she had.

Reclining back and stretching his legs out in front of him, Jack leaned on his palms and stared up at the bright moon.

No, they weren't meant to just blindly repeat their fairytales. And if they were, then what would have been the point of doing it all again?


	7. Year 7

**Year 7: Nightmare Pitch**

* * *

It had become so very cold.

The skies clouded overhead, so dark that no one could be sure if it were night or day. The storm kept raging, a ruin of snow, and ice, and winds so severe that it felt like pushing against a wall of freezing rage.

No one could see past the storm. No one could hear beyond the howling wind. No one could remember the warmth of summer.

Against such a threat, Hogwarts had raised her defenses. The castle resisted the storm with grim determination. Inside, all of the students huddled together under blankets and coats and cloaks, as close to the fires as they could get. Everyone had been gathered into the Great Hall once the halls had started to ice over.

Elsa was running through those iced halls now, heart beating fast and scared.

Rapunzel was safe in the Great Hall, underneath all of her winter cloaks and a pile of blankets. She was probably worried out of her mind, but she was safe.

Somewhere in the castle, Elsa had left Katherine behind with the promise to stop this.

And Aster was probably at battle against this storm by now, as brave and as reckless and as _secretly_ self-sacrificing-ly noble as he was.

None of the other Guardians would be able to cross the snowstorm. There would be no help on its way. And the Hogwarts professors must place protecting the entire school of students as their highest priority.

They had been caught unprepared, wholly surprised by the attack. As it was, it was a miracle that no one had been hurt yet.

But Elsa feared that the intent of this magic wasn't to hurt them. Not physically at least.

No, the storm was to keep everyone trapped as much as it was to keep outsiders away. And without the deep-seeded magic of Hogwarts to shield them, Elsa knew that the cold would have affected the others very differently.

Not freezing them to death. But forcing them to sleep.

Because Hogwarts was one of the largest concentrations of magical _children_ in the world.

And in hindsight, it had only been a matter of time until the Nightmare King attacked them here.

Elsa skidded to a stop while turning a corner, saved from impalement by dozens of sharp ice spikes only by the instinctive reflex of her own magic.

Taking a deep breath, Elsa took a half step back and slashed her arm through the air, shattering the ice trap instantaneously.

The kid gloves were off, it seemed.

Elsa pulled hers off as well. Her hair had fallen out from the elaborate style she usually wore it in anyway, the long braid falling over her shoulder.

The eye of this storm was the Astronomy Tower. Elsa could feel the powerful magic originate from there. But to storm up the stairs would be suicide. The tower was such a good spot to defend _because_ there was only one way up.

Well, Elsa hadn't been sorted into Ravenclaw for nothing. She was supposed to be smart and intelligent and wise. So, she was going to get atop the tower...just in a different way than many would expect.

Elsa couldn't fly; she wasn't like Jack. But her winter magic would get her through the winter storm raging outside. No one else could say as much.

Rushing up to the nearest window, Elsa blasted the stained glass with her magic and braced herself against the rushing chill. She climbed through the open space, her arms shielding her face from the worst of the wind.

Once outside, Elsa flicked her hand over the open window to replace the glass with the varying shades of her blue permafrost. She couldn't know if even as minor a breach as that in the castle's defenses wouldn't be exploited by the unnatural storm outside.

Elsa slid down the slate roof, the long rift she left in the snow filling again almost as soon as she left it. With a panicked wave, her ice magic flashed and created an icy ledge for her to regain her footing before she careened off the edge.

Pressed against the snow-covered roof, Elsa needed a moment to gather her wits before she was able to get up.

Staring up at the dark, looming shape that was where she needed to go, Elsa leapt upwards and just barely managed to hang onto the edge of parapet wall. Straining her strength, but helped along by the upwards rush of wind hitting the castle-side, she tumbled over and into the collected snow past the wall.

Determined, Elsa clung to the fortress battlements and used them to guide her across.

She could barely see the tower even though she was so close. Even the continuous spiral of magic she kept tightly wound around her to buffer the storm allotted little visibility. If Elsa had not been able to transverse most of the distance from within the castle, hadn't known that the last stretch would entail going straight across, she would never have made it here. She would be lost within the storm, wandering until she was too far away to be saved.

But atop the roof, as close to the Astronomy Tower as anyone could get from outside it, Elsa would still have to climb up the side.

She surveyed the daunting distance with dismay. But steeled her nerve and did what a Ravenclaw did best when faced with a problem: _Think_.

Glaring at the obstacle, but relentless, Elsa formed a sharp spike from her ice. She stabbed the icicle hard into the tower wall, lodging it firmly into the stone on her second try. And then repeated the same action with her other hand.

More conjured spikes in hand, Elsa scaled the tower, using the ice she left behind as footholds. It was strenuous, dangerous work. And it took longer than she wanted. But steadily, Elsa made her way up to the top.

Pushing herself up and over the parapet, it was as if she had crossed a barrier and fallen into another world.

It was perfectly calm here. So quiet that Elsa had to turn and look behind her to be sure that there was still a storm raging beyond, bombarding the castle.

There was also a massively powerful spell at work here. It was bright and beautiful and more complex than anything she had ever seen before, in either working-order or in theory. Elsa studied the circling, spinning designs spreading across the stone floor with great trepidation. It reminded her of the face of a clock, marking time for a purpose she doubted she wanted to discover.

As her standing directly atop the spinning, circling spell designs didn't seem to be affecting it, Elsa cautiously looked past that immediate threat to the rest of the tower.

She nearly fell over the side of the tower.

There was an enormous block of ice at the very center of the spinning spell. The sides were smooth and flat and clear, so pure that she could see through it to the other side. And the ice floated in the air atop its own sharp point, not dissimilar to an inverted pyramid.

And trapped within the ice, floating upside down, was Jack Frost.

Elsa transversed the distance without being conscious of it, pressing one hand against the flat surface of the clear ice, reaching for Jack's sleeping face.

He looked peaceful. Like Jack. As if he had merely fallen asleep flying, floating upside down. His Hogwarts uniform floated around him, frozen as it had been rippling in the air. And his magical staff was in his hands, held loosely across the front of him, ready at a second's notice.

"Jack?" Elsa whispered, one hand pressed into the ice, daring but not hoping for a reaction.

It was a frustrating illusion, nothing but a taunting parody to all who saw it. Because Jack wouldn't be ready and able to defend, wasn't simply closing his eyes as he enjoyed a casual fly. No, he was frozen in ice, trapped in a moment he could not escape from.

"Jack!"

Elsa pounded both of her fists against the ice, hoping that it would provoke a reaction. That he would just _open his eyes_.

"Jack, wake up!" Elsa ordered, issued her royal command.

It was useless; Jack couldn't see or hear her. But Elsa kept slamming her fists against the ice anyway.

Then she took a half step back and threw her magic at it.

The ice finally responded, throwing aside her spell with a hiss of frosted air.

Elsa seethed and threw more of her magic at it. Conjured icicles and dangerous spikes and enormous blocks of ice. Concentrated snowstorms and ice storms. Bursts of silver-blue magic. Explosions of white power.

She even tried an all-encompassing winterspell. Designs of frost magic spread across the clear ice in a beautiful, intricate web, as delicate and complex as snowflakes.

But while this spell held on longer than the rest, it was eventually blasted away just like the rest of her magic.

There was no help coming. If Elsa didn't free Jack, then even the magic of Hogwarts would eventually be worn down by the magical snowstorm. Everyone would suffer the cold. They would all be put into an enchanted sleep within an eternal winter. And with the nightmares of hundreds of magical children, the Nightmare King would have enough power to terrorize the world.

Struck by this realization, Elsa froze and just stared at Jack and at the ice. She didn't know what to do. She wasn't powerful enough to break this spell. Even if she was, she didn't _know_ how to break the spell.

But if Elsa couldn't do it, then who would?

Jack's power alone had been enough to create this eternal winter, this magical snowstorm. And he was just one sleeping magical child.

"You could join me."

Elsa flinched, whipping backwards and pressing close against the ice encasing Jack.

Her arm was thrown up, a spell upon her fingertips.

But it was just a child.

A small child with pitch black hair and bright silver-gold eyes. His skin was pale and moonlight white. And he wore the Hogwarts uniform, the Slytherin crest glimmering upon his winter cloak.

Elsa couldn't help but stare at this boy. He was just a first-year Hogwarts student.

He looked up at her, staring unflinchingly into her gaze. There was an unnatural stillness to this child, an unsettling sense of _knowing too much_. Elsa wasn't proud of the fact that she was the first to break eye contact.

"Who are you?"

"Kozmotis Pitchiner." The boy replied promptly, nodding to her in respectful greeting. "You may call me Pitch."

Elsa felt as if she should introduce herself. She was a seventh-year and a crown princess. She had the responsibility and the duty. But she couldn't bring herself to form the words.

"You're Princess Elsa of Arendelle." Pitch continued on without missing a beat in the conversation, despite Elsa's silence.

His next words came easily and without judgment.

"You're the Snow Queen."

Elsa held herself very still, even though she felt as if she had been slammed into a wall of solid ice.

"How did you know that?" She asked him, reigning in her panic.

Pitch looked at her curiously, tilting his head slightly to his side.

"I didn't." He replied. "But only winter magic like Jack's could get through his storm without needing to break it completely. So I guessed."

Elsa felt a cold shiver run down her spine. But she held herself tall and proud, her icy mask falling into place. And she had never been more grateful for having become so used to it.

"Why would I join you?" Elsa questioned him, remembering his earlier offer right before her original question of 'Why are you doing this?' slipped from her lips.

The question she had asked implied that she was in control, that she wasn't completely thrown off balance right now. She didn't know how much he had seen or figured out. In fact, everything about him had surprised her so far. And that put her at a political disadvantage.

"We're the same." Pitch shrugged casually, trying to hide the importance of his statement. The only indication that he wasn't entirely at ease was his downwards glance towards the floor.

Elsa was the Snow Queen, Evil, a villain. Just like him.

"Because you're the Nightmare King." Elsa stated.

Pitch nodded, still studying the ground.

"You don't look as if you need my help." Elsa commented smoothly, intoning her words just so to indicate Jack's imprisonment without having to actually indicate it.

Pitch's gaze glanced up and past Elsa, at where Jack was sleeping in the ice.

"I only have enough power to keep Jack asleep." Pitch told her. "The rest of it is his power. I'm not strong enough yet."

"Trapping Jack was a risk." Elsa worked that out quickly.

"I had to." Pitch turned sharply, piercing her with his flashing gaze. "It's already the end of the school year. Two of the three Guardians would graduate. And the Guardian of Storytelling isn't as powerful."

"Then she would be easier to subdue." Elsa watched Pitch carefully.

"But her spells would be easier to break." Pitch hissed, clenching his fists tightly at his sides.

Elsa's eyes darted away from that subtle show of frustration quickly, giving no indication that she had noticed it. For as young as he was, he had remarkable control over his reactions. But he was still a child, and there were weaknesses still.

"You don't have to do this." Elsa gambled on his youth, that he was still a child and so had yet to harden into an adult's thinking. "You don't have to be what you don't want to be."

Pitch looked at her, staring at her with a complex emotion Elsa couldn't quite figure out. It made her nervous, but she held his gaze steadily.

"I don't understand." He finally said, looking up at Elsa _so intensely_. If she were a lesser person, she would have been afraid then. "This is what I was born to be. The Faerie Prophecy said I was the Nightmare King."

Elsa could relate to Pitch. She understood him, in ways no one but those in their position ever could. And, in a way, she felt sorry for him. Because of their similarities, she wanted to show him a different way, to guide him towards a better path.

But he wouldn't suddenly change his mind. He hadn't struggled continuously against his destiny. He had accepted it and thought it to be his _purpose_.

"And the Prophecy was clear that I was the Snow Queen." Elsa held her head high, tilting her chin up to what she knew was a commanding angle.

She would appear strong, in control, and commanding. Like a queen. Not just because she was royalty, in both this world and the fairytale one, but because the world would expect her to be if she was going to do anything at all.

"So I'll do what I want."

Her magic had finished before she had even commanded it.

It had been a mistake to tell Elsa that he only had the power to keep Jack frozen in sleep. Pitch might have been bluffing, hiding his true power, but he was still a child and too truthful.

In a flash of her magic, Pitch fell unconscious as soon as her spell hit him. The small first-year crumpled to the ground, asleep.

For a moment, Elsa just stared at the sight in shock. Her hand still raised for her attack.

But at the sound of a loud crack, Elsa spun around as the spinning magical design flashed and disappeared.

Before she could even throw a spell at it, the clear ice which held Jack shattered into glimmering snowflakes, carried away in the rush of the barrier falling.

In an instant, the magical snowstorm _stopped_.

Elsa almost cried out in happiness. But she didn't even dare to breathe until Jack finally opened his eyes, blinking sleepily at her in his still-upside-down position.

"Elsa?" Jack's eyes widened in shock.

"Jack!" Elsa did cry out now, tears falling from sheer relief.

Somehow, Jack's eyes widened even further. And in his panic, he righted himself rightside-up and landed firmly upon the ground.

He hadn't even managed to take a step forward before Elsa was suddenly right there, sobbing and gripping him so tightly that he had the air knocked out of him and they nearly fell backwards from the impact.

Jack was just about to reassure her that he was alright, that _she_ was alright, his hands raised awkwardly to pat her on the back...

When Elsa grabbed him by the front of his uniform and kissed him.

Impossibly, Jack's eyes widened even further the third time. And he stood perfectly still, not at all knowing what to do. His arms were still raised awkwardly in the air behind her.

Elsa pulled away before he could process any of this, smiling up at him beautifully.

Jack blinked down at her for a much needed moment.

"Wait. Does this mean we're dating?" Jack grinned at her goofily, already stupid from just the idea.

Elsa laughed, open and happy and free.

"You'll have to ask me on an actual date first." Elsa told him, still smiling.

Jack grinned and winked at her.

 **The End**

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

As always, THANK YOU for reading my story!

My baby sister's request was simple: Elsa + Jack + Hogwarts = this fanfiction. (So really, you have **ichigo-daisuki** to thank for this.) It was really fun to work on, since this is something I would have never thought of on my own.

I hope you liked the story.

2015.09.01


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